What I meant was if the mother showed that kind of blatant lack of judgement, who knows if the next day the mother does something else that puts her little girl's life in danger. Not just health, but LIFE.

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Or she could have learned from her mistake and been more careful in the future.

All parents do stupid things at times. Luckily most of us survive anyway. But to think that we'd be better off without our parents because sometimes they do stupid things is ridiculous.

They didn't want to die. I would not have helped; a person is never going to win going up against a train. That's why the warning gates go down before the train actually arrives, because it takes time for the train to stop. I would do exactly what those who were there did - yell.

But she gave up her life for that of her child, which is arguably as selfless as a person can be.

Who knew what her mindset was when she entered the tracks? She could have been panicked about something and in a hurry. And she didn't know the stroller would get stuck. . .

So I don't know how fair it is to judge her stupidity? People do stupid things all the time that could potentially have negative consequences for themselves or some else. Even fatal consequences. Except, most people get away with it.

Yes, of course, she was an absolute idiot. But at least she was willing to pay for her stupidity by putting her child's life first. I just don't think "luck" is compatible with "motherless two year old." That little girl is now without the person pretty much every child psychologist will tell you is the most important in the first three years of life. I damn well hope she's got an awesome dad, grandma and aunties.

But I find the idea that some people truly believe her child is better off now to be completely horrifying.

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I immediately took Louise's comments as sarcastic and angry at the mother because of her actions, and she later clarified her comments.

As stated...what if both the mother and child had survived? No one would be calling the mother a hero for saving her child, but would be insisting that the child be removed and the mother charged with child endangerment. Of course, if the mother had survived and the baby killed, everyone would be calling for the mother's head.

The mother was not just "stupid". She was reckless...putting herself and, even worse, her child's life in danger. And I don't think people do reckless, life-threatening things all the time--especially when their child's life is involved.

There's a difference between doing something stupid and doing something unsafe, and life threatening for you and/or your child.

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There are plenty of stupid, unsafe and life threatening things that people do every single day that involve themselves and/or others.

Not using car seats correctly, drinking and driving, walking across an interstate in rush hour traffic (recent event here), etc. Most of those acts are selfish but they get away with them most of the time.

It was a stupid thing to do - I think we agree with that. Whether or not she is a hero for saving her child is another story.

I don't think anyone's calling her a hero, other than her own mother saying that she saved the baby's life. To me, that's a grieving parent trying to find a slim bit of silver lining after the loss of her own child. Just my read of the article.

I looked at the photo and it's an umbrella stroller - why didn't she just pick up the whole thing and run instead of trying to push it? I could see, if the baby was strapped in, panicking at not being able to undo the buckle, but those strollers aren't heavy - you can grab and go.

Maybe the baby's mother wasn't thinking clearly, or intended the story to end this way. Gotta say - at least one of them survived.

It is absolutely not the train staff's fault - they did everything they could and they must be traumatized. Prayers for all involved.

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No one would be calling the mother a hero for saving her child, but would be insisting that the child be removed and the mother charged with child endangerment. Of course, if the mother had survived and the baby killed, everyone would be calling for the mother's head.

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I think it would be more accurate to say "Many" or "some" than "No one" and "Everyone".

I looked at the photo and it's an umbrella stroller - why didn't she just pick up the whole thing and run instead of trying to push it? I could see, if the baby was strapped in, panicking at not being able to undo the buckle, but those strollers aren't heavy - you can grab and go.

I don't know about that. I have pushed wheelchairs in hospital elevators. The first set of wheels get stuck and you get them free - then the second set of wheels get stuck. The door begins to close and you keep pushing hoping that you can get them unstuck before the door closes. That is not a life or death situation, like a train coming toward you, but you panic just a little. I can't imagine what kind of panic was occurring with that mom.

Still a stupid thing to do, but to speculate on what someone should have done based upon what we think we might do is sort of

We have this happen in Melbourne quite a bit where people cross or drive against the warning lights and gates. This week a 15 year old girl was killed. Sorry but you cannot protect people against their own stupidity.

I don't know about that. I have pushed wheelchairs in hospital elevators. The first set of wheels get stuck and you get them free - then the second set of wheels get stuck. The door begins to close and you keep pushing hoping that you can get them unstuck before the door closes. That is not a life or death situation, like a train coming toward you, but you panic just a little. I can't imagine what kind of panic was occurring with that mom.

Still a stupid thing to do, but to speculate on what someone should have done based upon what we think we might do is sort of

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I would kick the elevator doors back open. What sort of elevator (let alone one in a hospital) would lack motion sensors so they don't close on people? I have merely stuck my hand between elevator doors and they open right back up, and I'm not referring to snazzy new ones. More like, "Dear God please don't get stuck, I just want to get to class" kind of elevators.

I know that they do - but it is the sense of panic that I was trying to describe. Wheelchairs and IV poles and other tubes - the struggle of trying to clear the doors/tracks. And how we tend not to think about the logical solutions.

I know that they do - but it is the sense of panic that I was trying to describe. Wheelchairs and IV poles and other tubes - the struggle of trying to clear the doors/tracks. And how we tend not to think about the logical solutions.

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Like the logical solution of not being on the tracks once the gates already begin to come down in the first place? You don't have to panic at all if the train ISN'T bearing down on you, as the signal clearly warned you it was before you started to cross.

There's taking chances, like doing five over the speed limit, and there's STUPID chances, like blatantly ignoring the signal that says "A giant train that CANNOT STOP before it hits you is coming RIGHT NOW so you shouldn't try to cross the tracks."

How many times do I have to say it was a stupid move by the mother. I was trying to describe what might have happened once the stupid move was done and the events started going in the direction that it did.